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Equine

General Medicine

General Medicine encompasses many problems that may arise with your horse. We see any case that does not involve surgery directly, including some lameness cases. Our board certified clinicians have the expertise to examine the patient and diagnose the problem. The Veterinary Medical Center has a wealth of knowledge and the ability to perform in-house consultation with board certified Cardiologists, Ophthalmologists, and Dermatologists making the ISU Veterinary Medical Center the right place to bring your horse for state of the art care.

Some of the medical disorders that fall under General Medicine include:

Acute/chronic weight loss

Acute/chronic diarrhea

Urinary tract disorders

Acute/chronic renal (kidney) disorders

Acute/chronic hepatic (liver) disorders

Cardiac disorders

Dermatologic disorders

If you suspect your horse's health is declining, it may be related to one of the above disorders, make an appointment with our Equine Medicine group as soon as possible. Early diagnosis may help with instituting treatment protocols which can provide a cure or extend your horse's quality of life.

Colic

Disease Background
Colic is a general term for abdominal pain. There are numerous causes of colic and each case must be evaluated differently. The patient's history is very important when diagnosing a horse with colic.

Symptoms
Signs of colic include:

Restlessness

Inappetence

Rolling

Sweating

Kicking at the abdomen

Recumbency

Equine patients may also have elevated heart and respiratory rates depending on the severity of the condition.

Diagnostics
When an equine patient presents with clinical signs of colic some of the diagnostic procedures that may be performed include:

Treatment
A large percentage of colic cases are resolved by your local veterinarian with medical treatment (analgesics). However a smaller population of horses with colic may require more aggressive medical and/or surgical treatment. Clinical signs that may indicate the need for referral to the ISU Veterinary Medical Center include:

Unrelenting pain despite treatment with analgesics and sedatives

Distention of the small intestine, determined by your local veterinarian

Distention/displacement of the large intestine, determined by your local veterinarian